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Librarians in Love #1
The Next Best Fling
Two broken hearts decide that the best way to get over their first loves is with a no-strings-attached relationship in this spicy and charming debut romance.
Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend for years—and when he gets engaged, she knows it’s long past time to move on. But before she gets the chance, she has a bigger problem to contend with in the form of Theo Young, ex-NFL player and older brother of the man she’s in love with. When she discovers Theo's plans to confess his feelings for his brother’s fiancée at their engagement party, Marcela is quick to stop him—despite how tempting it is to let him run away with the bride-to-be. She manages to convince Theo to sleep off his drunken almost-mistake at her place and when they arrive at a family brunch the next day together, everyone wrongly assumes they hooked up.
Since Theo needs a cover for his feelings for the bride and Marcela needs a distraction from her unrequited feelings for the groom, they decide to roll with the lie. Until one late night at a bar, they take it a step further and discover a layer of attraction neither realized existed. Soon, they find themselves exploring the simmering chemistry between them, whether in library aisles or Marcela's bed. There are no boundaries for the rebound relationship they form—just a host of complicated feelings, messy familial dynamics, and uncovered secrets that threaten to tear them apart before they can even admit to themselves that their rebound is working. Maybe a little too well.
Librarian Marcela Ortiz has been secretly in love with her best friend for years—and when he gets engaged, she knows it’s long past time to move on. But before she gets the chance, she has a bigger problem to contend with in the form of Theo Young, ex-NFL player and older brother of the man she’s in love with. When she discovers Theo's plans to confess his feelings for his brother’s fiancée at their engagement party, Marcela is quick to stop him—despite how tempting it is to let him run away with the bride-to-be. She manages to convince Theo to sleep off his drunken almost-mistake at her place and when they arrive at a family brunch the next day together, everyone wrongly assumes they hooked up.
Since Theo needs a cover for his feelings for the bride and Marcela needs a distraction from her unrequited feelings for the groom, they decide to roll with the lie. Until one late night at a bar, they take it a step further and discover a layer of attraction neither realized existed. Soon, they find themselves exploring the simmering chemistry between them, whether in library aisles or Marcela's bed. There are no boundaries for the rebound relationship they form—just a host of complicated feelings, messy familial dynamics, and uncovered secrets that threaten to tear them apart before they can even admit to themselves that their rebound is working. Maybe a little too well.
384 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 9, 2024
About the author
Gabriella Gamez
1 book93 followersGabriella Gamez is a Mexican American author from South Texas. She writes about incredibly messy, well-meaning women trying their best and accidentally falling in love. When she’s not writing, she can be found drinking copious amounts of coffee, wasting too much time playing video games, and obsessing over other people’s books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 331 reviews
March 5, 2024
Good grief, this was fantastic!! Emotionally rich, swoony, spicy, just the right level of angsty for me, so much personal growth, two main characters who make each other better and give each other patience and support when they're struggling, a couple I rooted for so easily and loved finding their way to happily ever after.
Content notes: parental abandonment (past), codependent/toxic friendship, fatphobia (past and on page).
Content notes: parental abandonment (past), codependent/toxic friendship, fatphobia (past and on page).
April 28, 2024
𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕖𝕩𝕥 𝔹𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝔽𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘—REVIEW
“He wants the bride, she wants the groom. But what if all they really want. . .is each other?”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Any book that I read in 24 hours is highly recommended!! This was an addicting page turning read that had me neglecting my responsibilities and almost had me sweeping the dishes 🤭 Grab a cozy blanket and popcorn because this was a complicated and raw romance that will have you rooting for the main characters.
Tropes & What to Expect
💞best friend’s brother
💞Plus size Latina FMC(she’s also a librarian and book girlie)
💞friends w/benefits/rebound relationship
💞angst/pining
💞90s romcom movie vibes
💞MMC is a ex football player
💞spicy scenes 🌶️
The Characters/Brief Synopsis
I adored Marcie 🥹 she is such a relatable FMC to her being a book lover and her daddy issues/abandonment issues I thought I was holding a mirror to myself. She’s the selfless loyal friend who would rather let you ramble about nothing all day than talk about herself. She’s been secretly in love with her best friend for years but never mentioned it to him so when he gets engaged her life crumbles. Theo the MMC omg this man.. we’ll get to that later he is in love with his brother’s finance.. when Marcie overhears him about to confront them she intervenes and rescues the day. After spending time together they decide they can both use a little distraction🤪
Theo is such a cinnamon roll and wears his heart on his sleeve. Throughout the entire relationship he is honest about his feelings and does not hold back once he starts developing feelings. He communicates so well and is so patient with Marcie. Don’t get me started on the hand porn.. he would grab her wrist and kiss it, intertwine their fingers and kiss her knuckles. I never though I would be swooning and getting giggly over a hand touch 🫠🫠 and his romantic gestures 🥹🥹 this man was perfection
”You should never be without your favorite books. If you’ll let me, I’ll make sure each and every one of your all-time favorites are always signed by their author. Because you deserve to have special books in your personal collection.“ this quote alone had me wanting to get on my knees to marry him 🧎🏻♀️
Overall thoughts: Obsessed!! Add to your TBR 💖 It made me think of the movie My Best Friends Wedding which is one of my favs so if you’re fan of this vibe you will love it!!!
“He wants the bride, she wants the groom. But what if all they really want. . .is each other?”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Any book that I read in 24 hours is highly recommended!! This was an addicting page turning read that had me neglecting my responsibilities and almost had me sweeping the dishes 🤭 Grab a cozy blanket and popcorn because this was a complicated and raw romance that will have you rooting for the main characters.
Tropes & What to Expect
💞best friend’s brother
💞Plus size Latina FMC(she’s also a librarian and book girlie)
💞friends w/benefits/rebound relationship
💞angst/pining
💞90s romcom movie vibes
💞MMC is a ex football player
💞spicy scenes 🌶️
The Characters/Brief Synopsis
I adored Marcie 🥹 she is such a relatable FMC to her being a book lover and her daddy issues/abandonment issues I thought I was holding a mirror to myself. She’s the selfless loyal friend who would rather let you ramble about nothing all day than talk about herself. She’s been secretly in love with her best friend for years but never mentioned it to him so when he gets engaged her life crumbles. Theo the MMC omg this man.. we’ll get to that later he is in love with his brother’s finance.. when Marcie overhears him about to confront them she intervenes and rescues the day. After spending time together they decide they can both use a little distraction🤪
Theo is such a cinnamon roll and wears his heart on his sleeve. Throughout the entire relationship he is honest about his feelings and does not hold back once he starts developing feelings. He communicates so well and is so patient with Marcie. Don’t get me started on the hand porn.. he would grab her wrist and kiss it, intertwine their fingers and kiss her knuckles. I never though I would be swooning and getting giggly over a hand touch 🫠🫠 and his romantic gestures 🥹🥹 this man was perfection
”You should never be without your favorite books. If you’ll let me, I’ll make sure each and every one of your all-time favorites are always signed by their author. Because you deserve to have special books in your personal collection.“ this quote alone had me wanting to get on my knees to marry him 🧎🏻♀️
Overall thoughts: Obsessed!! Add to your TBR 💖 It made me think of the movie My Best Friends Wedding which is one of my favs so if you’re fan of this vibe you will love it!!!
February 15, 2024
"The Next Best Fling" by Gabriella Gamez is an absolute delight! From the moment I cracked open its pages, I was swept away into a world of charming characters, swoon-worthy romance, and unexpected depth.
Marcela, our spirited youth librarian protagonist, stole my heart with her infectious passion for her job. There's something undeniably endearing about her dedication to fostering a love for literature. And then there's Theo, the handsome and genuine hero who captures your attention with his honesty and warmth.
What I truly adore about this book is its ability to blend light-hearted cuteness with meaningful exploration of serious topics. Marcela and Theo's journey isn't just about butterflies and romance; it's about confronting insecurities, embracing change, and discovering the courage to follow your heart. And let's not forget the rollercoaster of emotions brought on by the ups and downs of character growth, especially Ben's (Theo's brother) regression, which adds a relatable layer of complexity to the story.
The chemistry between Marcela and Theo is palpable from the start, but what sets their relationship apart is its authenticity. Their connection feels real and raw, grounded in mutual respect and genuine affection. And as they navigate the murky waters of attraction and uncertainty, you can't help but root for them every step of the way.
I devoured "The Next Best Fling" in one sitting, completely swept up in its heartwarming charm and irresistible romance. Gabriella Gamez's debut novel is a triumph, and I'm already itching to dive into whatever she writes next. Trust me when I say, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good love story. So go ahead, grab a copy, and prepare to be enchanted by the magic of Marcela and Theo's journey. You won't regret it!
Marcela, our spirited youth librarian protagonist, stole my heart with her infectious passion for her job. There's something undeniably endearing about her dedication to fostering a love for literature. And then there's Theo, the handsome and genuine hero who captures your attention with his honesty and warmth.
What I truly adore about this book is its ability to blend light-hearted cuteness with meaningful exploration of serious topics. Marcela and Theo's journey isn't just about butterflies and romance; it's about confronting insecurities, embracing change, and discovering the courage to follow your heart. And let's not forget the rollercoaster of emotions brought on by the ups and downs of character growth, especially Ben's (Theo's brother) regression, which adds a relatable layer of complexity to the story.
The chemistry between Marcela and Theo is palpable from the start, but what sets their relationship apart is its authenticity. Their connection feels real and raw, grounded in mutual respect and genuine affection. And as they navigate the murky waters of attraction and uncertainty, you can't help but root for them every step of the way.
I devoured "The Next Best Fling" in one sitting, completely swept up in its heartwarming charm and irresistible romance. Gabriella Gamez's debut novel is a triumph, and I'm already itching to dive into whatever she writes next. Trust me when I say, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good love story. So go ahead, grab a copy, and prepare to be enchanted by the magic of Marcela and Theo's journey. You won't regret it!
February 26, 2024
If you like messy complicated drama (live a CW show 😏), then I’d definitely recommend this book!
Despite how complicated things were for the characters, I really appreciated how Theo and Marcella wanted better for themselves, even if they didn’t know the healthiest ways to get there. I liked the empathy they showed one another, it’s nice to see that in books.
I also LOVED the bookish aspects and the representation we got with Marcella’s character!!!! (Like loved x12788)
I’m excited to see where things go in book 2!
Thank you so much to Forever Publishing for my ARC 🥰.
3/5⭐️
Despite how complicated things were for the characters, I really appreciated how Theo and Marcella wanted better for themselves, even if they didn’t know the healthiest ways to get there. I liked the empathy they showed one another, it’s nice to see that in books.
I also LOVED the bookish aspects and the representation we got with Marcella’s character!!!! (Like loved x12788)
I’m excited to see where things go in book 2!
Thank you so much to Forever Publishing for my ARC 🥰.
3/5⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
November 8, 2023Fake dating/Friends with benefits as a cover for their unrequited love over the Bride & Groom (the hero's brother)?? YES PLEASE
December 11, 2023
I'm actually obsessed with this.
Marcela is in love with Ben, her best friend who's recently got engaged to another woman. Theo, Bens' older brother, is in love with his new fiancée. Yes, it's messy.
In between the popcorn-worthy (yes, I actually made popcorn) drama, there's a tender love story about trust, self-love, escaping relationships that have become unhealthy, and what true love really looks like.
While not the center of the story, Marcela's relationship with her body was a running theme throughout it. One of my consistent complaints with "plus size romance" is how it either overdoes the fat-shaming or refuses to acknowledge those insecurities that a lot of plus-size women face when entering the dating scene. This book does it perfectly, in my opinion—while there are some moments that Marcela doubts her own sexiness, the narrative (and the love interest!) reject it without making her feel irrational for feeling that way. The whole way it was handled felt so validating as a plus-size woman myself!
On another note, I would die for Theo Young.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. And thank you to the publisher for the eARC <3
Marcela is in love with Ben, her best friend who's recently got engaged to another woman. Theo, Bens' older brother, is in love with his new fiancée. Yes, it's messy.
In between the popcorn-worthy (yes, I actually made popcorn) drama, there's a tender love story about trust, self-love, escaping relationships that have become unhealthy, and what true love really looks like.
While not the center of the story, Marcela's relationship with her body was a running theme throughout it. One of my consistent complaints with "plus size romance" is how it either overdoes the fat-shaming or refuses to acknowledge those insecurities that a lot of plus-size women face when entering the dating scene. This book does it perfectly, in my opinion—while there are some moments that Marcela doubts her own sexiness, the narrative (and the love interest!) reject it without making her feel irrational for feeling that way. The whole way it was handled felt so validating as a plus-size woman myself!
On another note, I would die for Theo Young.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. And thank you to the publisher for the eARC <3
April 19, 2024
This is a really cute debut romance read but my gosh was it a bit chaotic and messy. The fmc Marcella has not yet gotten over her love for Ben who is engaged to another woman. His brother Theo is the mmc has always wanted to be with the woman Ben is engaged to and it's a hot mess lol. The main characters get together and start a no-strings-attached relationship to get over those they were pining over.
This book has angst, is a bit emotional, and very complicated. I liked the main characters for the most part but they annoyed me at times. Overall this was a good debut with steam, cute moments, and realistic characters and experiences. Honorable moment to the fmc who is a librarian and advocated for the library throughout the book. Thanks to Forever for this arc.
Read for:
- Plus size rep
- Latina fmc
- Librarian fmc
- Romcom
Rating 3.75/5 rounded up
This book has angst, is a bit emotional, and very complicated. I liked the main characters for the most part but they annoyed me at times. Overall this was a good debut with steam, cute moments, and realistic characters and experiences. Honorable moment to the fmc who is a librarian and advocated for the library throughout the book. Thanks to Forever for this arc.
Read for:
- Plus size rep
- Latina fmc
- Librarian fmc
- Romcom
Rating 3.75/5 rounded up
April 10, 2024
What if the love of your life is getting married to your ex-best friend and you catch his brother rehearsing a speech to ruin the wedding?
Read The Next Best Fling to find out more. Marcela and Theo are both trying to get over people who don’t love them back. They come up with a plan to ‘Fake Date’ to take the suspicion off Theo for almost ruining the wedding. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone new, right? It can be, just make sure to not catch feelings in the process.
Read The Next Best Fling to find out more. Marcela and Theo are both trying to get over people who don’t love them back. They come up with a plan to ‘Fake Date’ to take the suspicion off Theo for almost ruining the wedding. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone new, right? It can be, just make sure to not catch feelings in the process.
January 22, 2024
Look - if I stay up past my bedtime to finish a book, you know it’s worth reading. In fact, I read this one all in the span of a few hours one evening. I adored Marcela’s underlying fierceness and hated how much she lost of herself in the name of her “best friend” and secret crush, Ben. Theo has definitely gone through a lot, between relationships with his family and persistent injuries as a football player, not to mention his one-way feelings toward his sister’s fiancee. While they both could have certainly been more forthcoming at various points in the story, it’s easy to see why they felt they needed to guard their hearts while their “fake” relationship started to become a thing all on its own. There were quite a few unexpected moments, enough that I couldn’t put down the book and needed to know how things ended.
If you liked the vibes of Kate Winslet’s character/storyline in The Holiday (especially hating Jasper Bloom obvi), if you like bookish characters (especially those trying to help increase diverse reads for teens!), and if you are looking for some characters who feel extremely real and messy, I cannot recommend The Next Best Fling enough.
Thank you Netgalley and @ReadForeverPub for the advanced copy.
If you liked the vibes of Kate Winslet’s character/storyline in The Holiday (especially hating Jasper Bloom obvi), if you like bookish characters (especially those trying to help increase diverse reads for teens!), and if you are looking for some characters who feel extremely real and messy, I cannot recommend The Next Best Fling enough.
Thank you Netgalley and @ReadForeverPub for the advanced copy.
February 8, 2024
˚₊ ❥ 𝟒/𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 」
I’ve been searching for a good book with a bigger female lead, and I found it here. This book was so adorable and, of course, spicy for those who care about that. I did find some writing errors, but I'm sure they’ll be fixed. The writing did also feel a bit wattpadish but I have no issue with that. I loved the plot; the fake dating trope will always be one of my favorites. I loved how they didn’t just automatically jump into the fake dating, and it wasn’t too rushed. 4/5 for me!
I’ve been searching for a good book with a bigger female lead, and I found it here. This book was so adorable and, of course, spicy for those who care about that. I did find some writing errors, but I'm sure they’ll be fixed. The writing did also feel a bit wattpadish but I have no issue with that. I loved the plot; the fake dating trope will always be one of my favorites. I loved how they didn’t just automatically jump into the fake dating, and it wasn’t too rushed. 4/5 for me!
December 17, 2023
Perfection.
January 24, 2024
Thank you to Forever for a free advanced of this book.
3.75 stars rounded up. I almost DNFd during chapter one and I am very glad that I kept going. While this book was not perfect and I had to majorly suspend belief at times, there is a lot about it that I really loved and I look forward to the author’s next book.
The main character is fat, she’s obsessed with books, and she doesn’t trust her feelings or the hunky hunky love interest’s feelings. So like, is this effing play about me?!
It’s set in San Antonio and all the Texas things made me very happy, especially the H-E-B tortillas shout out.
Also it was very hot. My jaw was hanging open multiple times lol.
3.75 stars rounded up. I almost DNFd during chapter one and I am very glad that I kept going. While this book was not perfect and I had to majorly suspend belief at times, there is a lot about it that I really loved and I look forward to the author’s next book.
The main character is fat, she’s obsessed with books, and she doesn’t trust her feelings or the hunky hunky love interest’s feelings. So like, is this effing play about me?!
It’s set in San Antonio and all the Texas things made me very happy, especially the H-E-B tortillas shout out.
Also it was very hot. My jaw was hanging open multiple times lol.
March 22, 2024
This book was a vibe and everything in me loved it. Trying to get over your best friend who is about to get married with his brother?! Sign me up. Some parts were messy, some parts were Swoony, and all of it just reminded you how real love can be and feel. An outstanding debut!
March 12, 2024
I wanted to try a new-to-me author and the cover of this book really grabbed me.
Overall, I would say this makes a compulsive reading and while I enjoyed a lot of aspects, there are other elements that didn't quite work for me.
Starting with the positives in no particular order - fat rep that I found relateable, accepting one's body but also not being happy with it all the time. I liked the romance, staring as fake going through casual sex reaching true feelings/love. The progression felt natural, some setbacks and wrong moves coming from the baggage both MCs carried.
I really liked Theo, everything about him worked for me. His angst and his family and career issues made sense. His love for Marcela was just the sweetest - they way he cared for her, wanted her to be happy, wanted for her to take a chance on them despite everything.
On the negative side, I absolutely hated the main premise of Marcela and Theo being in love respectively, with her best friend (who is his brother) and his childhood friend (who is now his brother's fiance). This all seemed so convoluted and made little sense. This whole plotline was overly dramatic for me. I especially didn't like how Marcela's relationship with her best friend/LI developed. He seemed so nice, a true best friend and then gradually we see more and more of him being an ass and by the end he was truly evil.
There moments when this story brought me so much joy and happiness but it also brought me so much frustration at times, that I have really mixed feelings about it.
I would say the good things about it prevail, and overall, I have no regrets reading it.
CW: messed up families, abandonment issues, excessive drinking
Overall, I would say this makes a compulsive reading and while I enjoyed a lot of aspects, there are other elements that didn't quite work for me.
Starting with the positives in no particular order - fat rep that I found relateable, accepting one's body but also not being happy with it all the time. I liked the romance, staring as fake going through casual sex reaching true feelings/love. The progression felt natural, some setbacks and wrong moves coming from the baggage both MCs carried.
I really liked Theo, everything about him worked for me. His angst and his family and career issues made sense. His love for Marcela was just the sweetest - they way he cared for her, wanted her to be happy, wanted for her to take a chance on them despite everything.
On the negative side, I absolutely hated the main premise of Marcela and Theo being in love respectively, with her best friend (who is his brother) and his childhood friend (who is now his brother's fiance). This all seemed so convoluted and made little sense. This whole plotline was overly dramatic for me. I especially didn't like how Marcela's relationship with her best friend/LI developed. He seemed so nice, a true best friend and then gradually we see more and more of him being an ass and by the end he was truly evil.
There moments when this story brought me so much joy and happiness but it also brought me so much frustration at times, that I have really mixed feelings about it.
I would say the good things about it prevail, and overall, I have no regrets reading it.
CW: messed up families, abandonment issues, excessive drinking
March 19, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f contemporary romance
-fake dating
-rebound hookup
-best friend's older brother
-plus size rep
-an ode to libraries
Gosh did I adore this book, it had me hooked from the very first page. I love mess, and this book had just the right amount. Marcela has held a spark that things might work out one day with her best friend and also ex, but instead she ends up invited to his engagement party. Worse, she's talking the groom's older brother out of confessing his feelings for the bride. This book perfectly exemplifies holding a flame for the somoen in your head, and just the adult struggles of dating, of figuring out your owrth and what you deserve and just allowing yourself to try.
Theo was just epic book boyfriend material. Just sweet, gone on Marcela before either wanted to admit it, and just always looking to her for signals. I won't spoil anything but he sets gift fiving to a whole nother level, he just listens to Marcela and just adores her, sees her, wants to be with her and just is impossible not to swoon over him.
Marcela was beyond relatable as she figured out her life and to finally take care of herslef rather than live for anyone else. The fat rep in this book was just beautiful and had me highlighting so many lines I just related to so much. This was an incredible debut and I can't wait to read whatever Gabriella writes next.
I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)
-m/f contemporary romance
-fake dating
-rebound hookup
-best friend's older brother
-plus size rep
-an ode to libraries
Gosh did I adore this book, it had me hooked from the very first page. I love mess, and this book had just the right amount. Marcela has held a spark that things might work out one day with her best friend and also ex, but instead she ends up invited to his engagement party. Worse, she's talking the groom's older brother out of confessing his feelings for the bride. This book perfectly exemplifies holding a flame for the somoen in your head, and just the adult struggles of dating, of figuring out your owrth and what you deserve and just allowing yourself to try.
Theo was just epic book boyfriend material. Just sweet, gone on Marcela before either wanted to admit it, and just always looking to her for signals. I won't spoil anything but he sets gift fiving to a whole nother level, he just listens to Marcela and just adores her, sees her, wants to be with her and just is impossible not to swoon over him.
Marcela was beyond relatable as she figured out her life and to finally take care of herslef rather than live for anyone else. The fat rep in this book was just beautiful and had me highlighting so many lines I just related to so much. This was an incredible debut and I can't wait to read whatever Gabriella writes next.
April 9, 2024
Let’s see…. The Next Best Fling has romance, spice, and ex-NFL player, forbidden love- what more could you ask for? Gabriella Gomez writes a fast paced, easy, fun read & the main character Marcella is so dang lovable! Gomez knocks it out of the park with her debut work - You’ll want to read this one!
Thank you NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC copy of this book.
Thank you NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC copy of this book.
March 9, 2024
I received an ARC through NetGalley. This is the review I posted on there --
There were depths to the plot that could have been explored more, but I felt like each plot line had a satisfactory ending with no major plot holes.
I loved this book. I loved the very raw and honest way Marcela was presented. Only having Marcela's POV A throughout the book might have added to some of my confusion. It would have been great to get some from Theo or maybe even Alice as well.
I'm going to recommend this to my library, and I will probably buy my own copy after it's released. My personal library isn't as big as Marcela's but I do have a couple of favorites' shelves.
There were depths to the plot that could have been explored more, but I felt like each plot line had a satisfactory ending with no major plot holes.
I loved this book. I loved the very raw and honest way Marcela was presented. Only having Marcela's POV A throughout the book might have added to some of my confusion. It would have been great to get some from Theo or maybe even Alice as well.
I'm going to recommend this to my library, and I will probably buy my own copy after it's released. My personal library isn't as big as Marcela's but I do have a couple of favorites' shelves.
April 21, 2024
Next Best Fling delivers a delightful romantic escape! Gabrielle Gamez weaves a captivating tale filled with humor, heart, and plenty of steamy moments. The characters are relatable and well-developed, and I definitely found myself rooting for the MCs to end up together. I generally prefer dual POV, but this was done really well for single POV!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the eARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the eARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
February 26, 2024
"The Next Best Fling" by Gabriella Gamez is a Rom-com that you absolutely will want to put on your TBR list! This book has all your markers that you want in your next Rom-com-- a love...square?, fake dating, best friends brother, a messy situation-ship,and all the drama of your first time love. This book was a delight from the moment I received this ARC. I also loved to see librarianship represented by a younger person and not portrayed in a negative light, (the YA librarian in me is loving the book club scene!) I think Gamez nailed the feeling of loosing yourself to your first crush/love, that will be relatable no matter your age. Reader's will pick this up for the cover but stay for the character's they will fall in love with. Thank you Net Galley for my ARC!
May 4, 2024
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
Marcela Ortiz is in love with her best friend, Ben, and has been for years. Unfortunately for her, he's just gotten engaged, and she has to put on the pretence of happiness for him, and try to move on. So when at the engagement party she overhears his brother, Theo, drunkenly plan to announce his feelings for the bride, she knows she has to stop him from making a mistake which will destroy all of their lives. Bringing Theo back to hers to sleep off his drinking, they cause a scandal arriving at brunch together, and decide to go with the flow and pretend there's more to their night together than there actually is. The plan works perfectly, until the fake feelings and romance start to develop into something a lot more real, and it's hard for them to decide whether to take the leap, or if it's just a rebound waiting to fail?
I loved this book! It grabbed my attention from the first pages, and I couldn't put it down until I knew whether Marcela and Theo had a happy ending or not. Marcela being in love with her best is not a new plot idea, but the fact that she didn't go for him in the end, and instead found that his brother was his better in every way, and loved her as she was, not wanting her to change at all, was refreshing! Theo was honestly such a sweety pie, and he fell for Marcela hard, and did not shy away from his feelings in the slightest. The fact that he was so open and honest with Marcela was perfect, and the way he waited for her to be comfortable enough to open up made it all the better. This was one of the best romances I have read in a long time, and when Gabriella releases her next book, I will immediately rush out to get a copy!
Marcela Ortiz is in love with her best friend, Ben, and has been for years. Unfortunately for her, he's just gotten engaged, and she has to put on the pretence of happiness for him, and try to move on. So when at the engagement party she overhears his brother, Theo, drunkenly plan to announce his feelings for the bride, she knows she has to stop him from making a mistake which will destroy all of their lives. Bringing Theo back to hers to sleep off his drinking, they cause a scandal arriving at brunch together, and decide to go with the flow and pretend there's more to their night together than there actually is. The plan works perfectly, until the fake feelings and romance start to develop into something a lot more real, and it's hard for them to decide whether to take the leap, or if it's just a rebound waiting to fail?
I loved this book! It grabbed my attention from the first pages, and I couldn't put it down until I knew whether Marcela and Theo had a happy ending or not. Marcela being in love with her best is not a new plot idea, but the fact that she didn't go for him in the end, and instead found that his brother was his better in every way, and loved her as she was, not wanting her to change at all, was refreshing! Theo was honestly such a sweety pie, and he fell for Marcela hard, and did not shy away from his feelings in the slightest. The fact that he was so open and honest with Marcela was perfect, and the way he waited for her to be comfortable enough to open up made it all the better. This was one of the best romances I have read in a long time, and when Gabriella releases her next book, I will immediately rush out to get a copy!
February 15, 2024
This book healed the parts of my soul that ever felt like a second choice and doubted by worthiness of a love that stays.
I loved so much about this book:
-The representation of a bookish and curvy FMC
-The unique plot of fake dating in face of unrequited love
-The forbidden aspect of brother’s brother
-The emotional journey of the FMC
-Resolutions that felt well developed
This was a heartwarming, emotionally healing and enjoyable read. Would definitely recommend checking this book out if you like a warm hug of a book with some spice. I’ll definitely be picking up a HC of this book when it releases in the summer and look forward to the rest of this author’s librarians in love series (how great is that concept btw).
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted on NetGalley.
I loved so much about this book:
-The representation of a bookish and curvy FMC
-The unique plot of fake dating in face of unrequited love
-The forbidden aspect of brother’s brother
-The emotional journey of the FMC
-Resolutions that felt well developed
This was a heartwarming, emotionally healing and enjoyable read. Would definitely recommend checking this book out if you like a warm hug of a book with some spice. I’ll definitely be picking up a HC of this book when it releases in the summer and look forward to the rest of this author’s librarians in love series (how great is that concept btw).
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted on NetGalley.
February 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! The writing was easy, to follow and still extremely entertaining. I ended up liking it even more than I expected to! The story was good, with a compelling plot that kept me engaged and wanting to finish the book!
My only complaint would be that I wish the Spanish parts were written in Spanish with footnotes or something. I love reading about other cultures and about people who don’t look like me so it always takes me out of the experience a little when the story is adjusted to make it easier for the reader. I don’t mind the extra work to make a more authentic story.
Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!
My only complaint would be that I wish the Spanish parts were written in Spanish with footnotes or something. I love reading about other cultures and about people who don’t look like me so it always takes me out of the experience a little when the story is adjusted to make it easier for the reader. I don’t mind the extra work to make a more authentic story.
Thank you NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!
April 4, 2024
Taylor Swift wrote Right Where You Left Me so this book could run!
I’ve been dying to read this ever since I came across the cover and it did not disappoint!
I loved watching Theo and Marcela grow together both mentally and emotionally. Seeing them both take a chance on each other made my heart so fuzzy. They’ve both been through so much and deserve their own happy ending.
I really loved the message and seeing Marcela come to terms of leaving friendships behind when they’ve become toxic. It’s not easy and seeing just how much she grew emotionally after leaving that friendship made me so happy.
For this to be a debut novel I’m excited for future projects by this author!
Thank you publisher for allowing me to review this ARC 🩵
I’ve been dying to read this ever since I came across the cover and it did not disappoint!
I loved watching Theo and Marcela grow together both mentally and emotionally. Seeing them both take a chance on each other made my heart so fuzzy. They’ve both been through so much and deserve their own happy ending.
I really loved the message and seeing Marcela come to terms of leaving friendships behind when they’ve become toxic. It’s not easy and seeing just how much she grew emotionally after leaving that friendship made me so happy.
For this to be a debut novel I’m excited for future projects by this author!
Thank you publisher for allowing me to review this ARC 🩵
February 11, 2024
I got the absolute privilege of reading an ARC of The Next Best Fling. To say I’m obsessed might just be the biggest understatement of this century. This book came at such an important time for me, as I truly saw so much of myself represented in Marcela’s character development throughout the book. Gabriella Gamez’s writing is impeccable. It was a rollercoaster of emotions, ranging from “I don’t want to put down this book! I need to know what happens!” … to “I don’t want to finish this book! I want it to go on forever!”Award to the author too… for being the first to actually make me cry. If you’re looking for a fictional couple to become way too invested in, this is the book to read.
December 9, 2023
I received an advance reader’s copy from Edelweiss, this book will be released in July 2024. This debut novel is chock full of tropes, and I couldn’t put it down, finishing it in under a full day. Among the tropes wonderfully featured are fake dating, slow burn, rebound relationships, love square and falling in love with the bride and groom. There’s also a nice bit of spicy romance and a nice tip of the hat to librarians and book lovers. The 4 way love square gets complicated, but the book is quite compelling and I’d love to hear more from the featured couple in the future.
February 25, 2024
Thank you to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book is exchange for an honest review.
This book was written for the book girls whose friends growing up were fictional characters and they now have grown up to appreciate the love of reading that much more. I related so hard to Marcela in her love of books, especially the YA genre. I really appreciated that although she was obsessed with books and reading as much as the rest of us she did not make it her whole personality.
Marcela is a great FMC who grows so much throughout this book. Bonus, we get some great plus size and Latina representation. We start off the book with Ben, Marcela's best friend and unrequited love telling her that he is planning on proposing to his girlfriend of 8 years. You immediately feel bad for Marcela, but I also right away felt that something fishy was up with Ben.
Flash forward to the engagement party where Marcela puts her feelings aside to make sure that the wedding is not sabotaged by yet another member of the unrequited love club, Theo, Ben's older and hotter ex-NFL player brother. In my opinion, the only negative of Theo is that he is blonde. Other than that I would love a Theo of my own. Theo is in love with his brother's finance and had plans to tell her at the engagement party. Due to Marcela's intervention, that did not happen.
Theo and Marcela immediately find a connection with one another, even though Marcela does not tell him about her feelings for Ben. They agree to be one another's rebound which leads to some steamy tension and spicy moments. It also leads to these two characters to develop a strong friendship which allows them to confide in one another.
Right away you can tell that Theo is going to fall, and hard. He is there for Marcela and is surprisingly open about his feelings. Honestly, his communication skills should be studied by men and then used because he seems to have mastered the skill. Marcela constantly second guesses his feelings and therefore her own, even after he fills out a library card and participates in book club.
While Theo and Marcela grow closer, Marcela starts to see Ben's true colors. She comes to realize that he always inserted himself into her relationships, including the fake one with his brother. Marcela takes off her rose colored glasses that she wears around Ben and starts to come to the realization that he is actually a crappy friend.
When Marcela accidentally drunk texts her feelings to Ben instead of Theo, all facades are dropped. Ben basically admits that he kept Marcela on the hook as a "just in case," Alice realizes that she can do way better than Ben, and Theo and Marcela finally realize their true feelings for one another. I was so glad that Alice did not end up realizing she had feelings for Theo during this time because I am not sure I would have been able to deal with that heartache.
Along the way Marcela goes through a journey of growth. She becomes more comfortable in her own skin with Theo, who basically worships her. She also realizes that not everyone is going to leave her, and with the realization comes the trust bond between her and Theo.
Looking past the pining of Alice, Theo is every book girls dream. He appreciates and admires Marcela's passion for books and doesn't laugh at her library. He participates in her book club and even wants to read the books she loves. The cherry on top is her bought her the signed editions of the books she donated to the library!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where this series goes!
This book was written for the book girls whose friends growing up were fictional characters and they now have grown up to appreciate the love of reading that much more. I related so hard to Marcela in her love of books, especially the YA genre. I really appreciated that although she was obsessed with books and reading as much as the rest of us she did not make it her whole personality.
Marcela is a great FMC who grows so much throughout this book. Bonus, we get some great plus size and Latina representation. We start off the book with Ben, Marcela's best friend and unrequited love telling her that he is planning on proposing to his girlfriend of 8 years. You immediately feel bad for Marcela, but I also right away felt that something fishy was up with Ben.
Flash forward to the engagement party where Marcela puts her feelings aside to make sure that the wedding is not sabotaged by yet another member of the unrequited love club, Theo, Ben's older and hotter ex-NFL player brother. In my opinion, the only negative of Theo is that he is blonde. Other than that I would love a Theo of my own. Theo is in love with his brother's finance and had plans to tell her at the engagement party. Due to Marcela's intervention, that did not happen.
Theo and Marcela immediately find a connection with one another, even though Marcela does not tell him about her feelings for Ben. They agree to be one another's rebound which leads to some steamy tension and spicy moments. It also leads to these two characters to develop a strong friendship which allows them to confide in one another.
Right away you can tell that Theo is going to fall, and hard. He is there for Marcela and is surprisingly open about his feelings. Honestly, his communication skills should be studied by men and then used because he seems to have mastered the skill. Marcela constantly second guesses his feelings and therefore her own, even after he fills out a library card and participates in book club.
While Theo and Marcela grow closer, Marcela starts to see Ben's true colors. She comes to realize that he always inserted himself into her relationships, including the fake one with his brother. Marcela takes off her rose colored glasses that she wears around Ben and starts to come to the realization that he is actually a crappy friend.
When Marcela accidentally drunk texts her feelings to Ben instead of Theo, all facades are dropped. Ben basically admits that he kept Marcela on the hook as a "just in case," Alice realizes that she can do way better than Ben, and Theo and Marcela finally realize their true feelings for one another. I was so glad that Alice did not end up realizing she had feelings for Theo during this time because I am not sure I would have been able to deal with that heartache.
Along the way Marcela goes through a journey of growth. She becomes more comfortable in her own skin with Theo, who basically worships her. She also realizes that not everyone is going to leave her, and with the realization comes the trust bond between her and Theo.
Looking past the pining of Alice, Theo is every book girls dream. He appreciates and admires Marcela's passion for books and doesn't laugh at her library. He participates in her book club and even wants to read the books she loves. The cherry on top is her bought her the signed editions of the books she donated to the library!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see where this series goes!
May 2, 2024
This started off as a great read, but the last half wasn't my favorite. Honestly the whole situation was kind of toxic and I didn't love how Theo and Marcela got together and handled everything. Initially, I liked how Theo and Marcela were both aware of needing to move on and they found comfort in each other. However, Marcela grew to be a frustrating character. There was transparency from Theo but Marcela was so focused on choosing to blindly read into his words and she was overcomplicating things. There was a lot of miscommunication at the end of the book and it was starting to get silly. I think it would have helped if we saw their relationship develop more, especially beyond a physical level. Marcela felt like a very juvenile character and my biggest issue with her was how messy she was making everything. There's not much to the plot but it started to feel like they were running in circles at the end and it would have been less frustration if there had just been more communication between all the characters. Theo was a great character and I love how clear he was about his feelings/stance but the excuses Marcela was trying to use were disappointing. Overall, there were lots of red flags in the characters and I wasn't invested in the story enough to be convinced about their relationship. Even at the end, it still felt like a rebound relationship and the character development wasn't enough. There were definitely some cute moments though! I wouldn't have minded if we got to see the librarian side of Marcela more.
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
April 22, 2024
4 stars
The Next Best fling was fun, entertaining and had one of the best open and honest dialogue between main characters that I have read, which was very refreshing. This Book is a contemporary romance with a fake relationship trope, one character is an ex-football player so I would consider it a sports romance as well because it is part of the story.
Loved all the bookish references and Marcela being a librarian and being so in love with her books and loving her job was such an amazing part of this book it is such a fun setting as a reader. Not only that Theo, was full on board, supporting her and her love of books in several ways, that as a reader I was swooning so hard for him. It was a great aspect to show and made me love Theo as MMC. Marcela was beautiful, fun, optimistic, and sweet. She and Theo had a connection because of the situation they found themselves in, but like I said the communication and openness as relationship developed especially on Theo’s side was great. They checked in with each other throughout the story was amazing to have, as well as understanding where each of them was at. There was some fun sexy banter between them and a little tension. I would have liked to have it ramped up a little more as things developed but still good. Overall, this book was an amazing time, great setting and so sweet, definitely check it out.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
The Next Best fling was fun, entertaining and had one of the best open and honest dialogue between main characters that I have read, which was very refreshing. This Book is a contemporary romance with a fake relationship trope, one character is an ex-football player so I would consider it a sports romance as well because it is part of the story.
Loved all the bookish references and Marcela being a librarian and being so in love with her books and loving her job was such an amazing part of this book it is such a fun setting as a reader. Not only that Theo, was full on board, supporting her and her love of books in several ways, that as a reader I was swooning so hard for him. It was a great aspect to show and made me love Theo as MMC. Marcela was beautiful, fun, optimistic, and sweet. She and Theo had a connection because of the situation they found themselves in, but like I said the communication and openness as relationship developed especially on Theo’s side was great. They checked in with each other throughout the story was amazing to have, as well as understanding where each of them was at. There was some fun sexy banter between them and a little tension. I would have liked to have it ramped up a little more as things developed but still good. Overall, this book was an amazing time, great setting and so sweet, definitely check it out.
I received an advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.
February 14, 2024
3.5 ☆
this was an enjoyable read and easy to get through! the premise immediately pulled me in with both of our main characters being in love with other people and deciding to "fake date" to help each other get over the other person. i immediately noted the connection between marcela and theo; they both felt comfortable with each other and easily opened up to one another. i could really see the friendship forming before they decided to move to a friends with benefits arrangement. theo really helps marcela speak her mind and voice her concerns, which for a long time, marcela has avoided. i enjoyed seeing her open up and stand up for herself!
ben was a menace from the start and it was very obvious what he was doing to marcela the entire length of their friendship (not to mention the way he treated alice at that). it takes marcela some time to come to this realization, which i was glad when she finally did, but it was pretty frustrating watching ben talk to marcela the way that he did. on top of that, marcela could have worked on her own communication, especially with theo as we get to the last 35% of the book.
a little bit too bookish for me at times. marcela is a librarian so it makes sense; i just could have lived without some parts. overall, a really solid debut! i enjoyed the plus size rep and the diverse characters. thank you forever pub for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
this was an enjoyable read and easy to get through! the premise immediately pulled me in with both of our main characters being in love with other people and deciding to "fake date" to help each other get over the other person. i immediately noted the connection between marcela and theo; they both felt comfortable with each other and easily opened up to one another. i could really see the friendship forming before they decided to move to a friends with benefits arrangement. theo really helps marcela speak her mind and voice her concerns, which for a long time, marcela has avoided. i enjoyed seeing her open up and stand up for herself!
ben was a menace from the start and it was very obvious what he was doing to marcela the entire length of their friendship (not to mention the way he treated alice at that). it takes marcela some time to come to this realization, which i was glad when she finally did, but it was pretty frustrating watching ben talk to marcela the way that he did. on top of that, marcela could have worked on her own communication, especially with theo as we get to the last 35% of the book.
a little bit too bookish for me at times. marcela is a librarian so it makes sense; i just could have lived without some parts. overall, a really solid debut! i enjoyed the plus size rep and the diverse characters. thank you forever pub for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
May 8, 2024
I just finished reading an early advanced readers copy of The Next Best Fling and I absolutely loved it. Gabriella is a wonderful writer and author and this story was beyond cute, sweet, emotional, and funny at times. If you love these tropes/feelings: angsty emotion, best friend's brother, love square, pining after someone, librarian centered, book lovers, ex-NFL player status.... then this book is certainly for you and one you will love. Potential spoilers but I believe the synopsis on the back of the book says much of this: This book embodies what it means to try to move on after there is no hope left with the one you loved for a decade... or thought you loved. There are strong "fake dating" vibes in this book in order for two people to attempt to get over the one they pined for, for far too long. In doing so, they find they are getting more than they bargained for, but maybe that isn't such a bad thing.
All in all this book was wonderful and I am secretly hoping it is part of a series or connected to another book soon because I LOVE these characters. 5 star, 5 heart read for me! Just a girly in her romance reading era!
All in all this book was wonderful and I am secretly hoping it is part of a series or connected to another book soon because I LOVE these characters. 5 star, 5 heart read for me! Just a girly in her romance reading era!
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